Bed frame apparatus



R. T. HOLTZCLAW BED FRAME APPARATUS Filed Jan.

March 7, 1961 INVENTOR. Richard T. Holtzclow BY Mrm BED FRAME APPARATUS Richard T. Holtzclaw, 339 Mooreland Road, Montgomery 4, Ala.

Filed Jan. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 787,897

3 Claims. (Cl. 5-181) The present invention relates to a new and novel bed 'frame apparatus, and more particularly to a very lightweight, yet rigid bed frame construction which may be readily moved from place to place.

In recent years there has been a trend toward provid ing bed frames with a minimum weight and relatively simple construction which enables the bed frame to be quite portable such that a bed may be easily moved when desired. Such bed frames, of course, must provide sufficient rigidity for firmly supporting the box springs and mattresses as conventionally employed in modern beds, and accordingly the prior art structures for this purpose have been constructed of relatively heavy angle iron members or the like in order to obtain adequate rigidity. This has resulted in bed frames which are excessively bulky, heavy, and expensive in construction. Additionally, shipping costs of such bed frame structures are increased due to the weight thereof.

An additional important feature of such bed frames is that they should be quick and easy to assemble since they are often assembled by relatively inexperienced persons having no special tools and very little, if any, experience in such matters. It is accordingly desirable to provide a structure which is fool-proof even when assembled by an inexperienced person, and which furthermore is readily adjustable to permit the frame to be employed with several different common sized bed structures as are conventionally employed. The proir art structures have also proved unsatisfactory due to the relatively high cost thereof and the time required to produce such structures.

The arrangement according to the present invention incorporates a pair of light-weight tubular body members formed of a rigid, yet light-weight substance such as aluminum and the like, each of the body members employed in the structure being identical in construction thereby lowering the manufacturing cost and greatly simplifying the arrangement.

Each of the body members includes a side portion and a pair of opposite end portions extending substantially normally to the side portion and lying substantially in a plane. A side portion of each body member includes a pair of substantially U-shaped integral leg portions which extend out of the plane of the major portion of the body member and serve to support the entire assembled framework of the apparatus. A support member is associated with each of the leg portions and comprises a substantially L-shaped plate-like member having a first leg, the opposite ends of which are secured to the side portion of the associated body member adjacent opposite sides of one of the leg portions of the body member such that the support members are disposed in spanning relationship to the leg portions of the body members. The support members also include a second leg extending substantially normally to the first leg. 7

The arrangement of the support members according to the present invention is particularly advantageous since they serve a dual function. The first leg of the support 2,973,525 Patented Mar. 7, 196i Each of the end portions of the body members is provided with an opening formed therethrough, these end portions being received in the opposite open ends of a pair of connector sleeves employed for connecting adjacent end portions of the body members.

The connector sleeves are provided with a plurality of spaced openings formed therethrough which are adapted to be aligned with the openings in the body members for connecting the body members to the sleeves in a plurality of adjusted positions. Suitable fastening means in the form of bolts or the like are extended through the aligned openings in the body members and the connector sleeves.

At least one end portion of each of the body members also supports a bracket means by which a headboard or the like is supported by the frame.

With the constructoin as described above, an extremely light-weight rigid construction is provided, the size of which may be readily adjusted. To illustrate the substantial weight saving according to the present invention, prior art bed frames of this type generally weigh approximately 22-25 pounds, whereas the bed frame according to the present invention weighs approximately 7-8 pounds. It is apparent that this is a very substantial saving in weight which produces a significant saving in shipping costs. The utilization of a material such as aluminum as the material of the components is additionally advan' tageous since the necessity of painting the apparatus is eliminated thereby reducing the cost and removing the problem of rusting.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a new and novel bed frame apparatus which is quite lilght-weight, and which may be quickly and easily assemb ed.

Another object is to provide a bed frame apparatus which is readily adjustable for supporting box springs or the like of varying widths.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a bed frame apparatus which provides a very substantial and rigid framework when in assembled position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bed frame apparatus which is quite simple and inexpen-- sive in construction and yet which is quite sturdy and reliable in operation.

Other objects and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent when considered with the specification and accompanying drawings where in:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the assembled framework according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 illustrates a particular support means which may be employed with the device; Fig. 4 illustrates a modified form of support means;

Fig. 5 illustrates an attaching bracket employed with the apparatus; and

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified attaching bracket.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the bed frame according to the present invention includes a pair of identical body members indicated generally by reference numeral 10, each'of the body members comprising an integral elongated tubular member which is deformed into the illustrated configurathe entire frame.

tion, the body members being formed preferably of aluminum or the like. Each of the body members includes a side portion 11 and two opposite end portions 12 and 13, the major portions of the side portions and "endportions lying substantially in a plane, and the end portions extending substantiallytnormally to the associated side portions.

A :pair of substantially U-shaped leg portions :15 and 1-6 are formed :in each of the side portions, these leg porztiOIlS including a lower surface 15 and 16' respectively adapted to rest upon a supporting surfacefor supporting It is felttthat supporting the frame upon surfaces 15' and -16 willbe generallysatisfactory, but if desired, additional supporting members may be connected to the leg portions for supporting the framework. For example, referring to Fig. 3, .a conventional caster indicated generally by reference numeral '26 includes a shank portion 21 mounted within the lower.

portion of'the associated leg portion, the conventional caster wheel 22 riding upon the supporting surface. Re-

ferring now to Fig. 4, a further modification is illustrated wherein a glide-type support member indicated generally seen most clearly in Fig. 2, each of the support members .30 comprises a substantially :L-shaped plate having a first leg .31 and a second leg 32, leg 31 being normally .dis-

posed substantially horizontally and including openings 33 formed therethrough adjacent the opposite ends thereof. Each of the support members 3% is disposed in spanning relationship to an associated leg portion of the bodymembers, rivets 35 projecting through the openings 33 in the support members and aligned openings formed in the body members. The rivets are of the pop type such that when inserted through the holes and riveted, they permanently afiix the support members to the associated body members.

The support members are mounted in such a manner that they perform a dual function in the present invention. The pper surface of legs 51 of the support members serve to support the box springs or like portions-of a bed, and the inner surfaces of legs 32 prevent lateral displacement of the box springs or the like outwardly of the framework thereby maintaining the supportedbed components in proper operative position. In addition, the support members are secured to the body members in spanning relationship to the leg portions of the body members and are secured on opposite sides ofthe leg portions such that the body members are reinforcedadjacent the leg portions to thereby .prouide a very rigid construction.

.As seen most clearly in Fig. 5, an attaching bracket indicated generally by reference numeral 48 is illustrated and is of substantially L-shape, including a horizontal leg 41 and a vertically extending leg 42 having a pair of spaced openings 43 and 44 formed therethrough. As seen in Fig. 1, an attaching'bracket 4!) is secured :to the end 12 of each of the body members adjacent the side portions thereof, the attaching brackets being mounted in position by a .rivet (not shown) extending through-openings 44 in the attaching brackets and aligned openings formed in the body members. The openings 43 of the attaching brackets are positioned in that portion of the leg 42 which extends upwardly above the body member .such that a headboard or like structure may be attached ,to the brackets by means of openings 4-3 therein for supportingthe headboard or .the like imposition relative to -.-the box springs or similar bed components supported by to properly assemble the apparatus.

2,973,525 H p r the frame. Leg 41 of each of the attaching brackets engages the under surface of the associated body member for insuring that the bracket members remain in proper operative position.

A pair of similar connector sleeves 59 are associated with the adjacent end portions of the body members at opposite ends of the framework, each of connector sleeves 50 comprising an elongated tubular light-weight member formed of aluminum or similar material and being open at the opposite ends thereof. Three spaced openings 51, 52, and 53 areprovided through each of the connector sleeves adjacent the opposite ends thereof, openings 51 being outermost or closest to the end portions of the sleeves, openings 52 being at an intermediate position, and openings 5:: beinginnermost or spaced closest to one another.

Each of end portions 12 and 13 of the body members is provided with a laterally extending opening formed therethrough and adapted tobe aligned withone ofvopenings 51, '52, .or 53 in the body members when the end portions of the body members are inserted within theconnector sleeves. A bolt or screw 60 is inserted through .thealigned openings in the connector sleeves and .the end portions of the body members, a wing nut 61 being thread edly mounted on the outer end thereof for locking the connector sleeves and body members to one another. It

'is apparent that the width of .the frame or the distance of theside portions of the body members from one another may be readily adjusted by inserting bolts or screws .60 through any one of openings '51, 52-, or 53 and thealigned opening in the associated end portion of the body members for adjusting the width of the frame work as .desired. While any number of openings may be provided in 'accordance with the variations in required width, three openings are illustrated since these efficiently accommodate the three most generally employed sizes of beds, normally designated twin size, double size, and oversize.

Referring now to Fig. 6, a modification is illustrated wherein an attaching braoketindicated'generally by reference numeral 70 is of substantially J-shape and includes an upwardly extending leg 71 having an opening 72 therethrough for attaching the bracket to a headboard or the like. Another opening 73 is provided in a lower portion of leg 71, and .an aligned opening 74 is provided inthe upturned outer .cndzportion of the bracket. It is evident that bracket 70 may be placed about the end portion of a body member and a bolt extending through aligned openings '73 and 74 and through another aligned .opening provided through the body member for securing the bracket rigidly to the .body member.

it is apparent from the foregoing that there is provided a new and novel'bed frame apparatus which is quite light in weight, and is composed of a number of very simple components which may be very simply and very inexpensively manufactured. There are actually only two primary components employed, namely a body member and a connector sleeve,'the overall framework comprising a pair of similar body members and a pair of similar connector sleeves. The components may bequickly and easily assembled and disassembled in a very simplemanner .and even the most inexperiencedperson can not fail The bed frame may be adjusted for different widths as desired, and the assembled structure is quite rigid and sturdy in operation.

The weight of the frame according to the present invention is very substantially reduced thereby resulting in a significant saving in shipping costs.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, allchanges that fall within the metes andbounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim: a

1. Bed frame apparatus comprising a pair of elongated light-weight integral tubular body members, each of said body members having a major portion lying substantially in the same plane and including a side portion and opposite end portions extending substantially normally to said side portion, adjacent end portions of said body members being in alignment with one another and extending toward one another, a pair of tubular light-weight connector sleeves, each of said connector sleeves having opposite open end portions receiving an adjacent pair of end portions of said body members, said sleeves and end portions of the body members having a plurality of spaced openings formed therethrough for adjusting the size of the bed frame, fastening members extending through said openings for securing the body members and sleeves as a rigid framework of desired size, said side portions each including a pair of integral substantially U-shaped leg portions extending out of the plane of the major portions of the body members, and a support member disposed in spanning relationship with each of said leg portions, each of said support members having the opposite ends thereof secured to the associated side portion adjacent opposite sides of the associated leg portion, each of said support members comprising a substantially L-shaped plate-like member including a substantially horizontally extending 6 leg portion for supporting a portion of a bed and a substantially vertically extending leg portion for preventing outward displacement of a supported portion.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including a supporting member connected to the lower portion of each of said leg portions for supporting the bed frame apparatus.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including bracket means secured to one end portion of each of said body members for supporting a headboard and the like.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 190,065 Meyers Apr. 24, 1877 674,725 Bergman May 21, 1901 683,636 Brown Oct. 1, 1901 1,004,243 Cooper Sept. 26, 1911 1,340,015 Claflin May 11, 1920 1,394,512 Tamarin Oct. 18, 1921 2,480,314 Benedict Aug. 30, 1949 2,676,338 Robertson Apr. 27, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 260,922 Italy Oct. 22, 1928 444,681 Great Britain Mar. 25, 1936 547,995 Great Britain Sept. 21, 1942 568,943 Great Britain Apr. 26, 1945 

